


Voices of the Dead

by scifishipper



Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2013-11-17
Packaged: 2018-01-01 20:45:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1048389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scifishipper/pseuds/scifishipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River cries for them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Voices of the Dead

River glanced around the room, bright with the afternoon sun, and oppressive with the smell of flesh decayed. River gagged, clutching her sweater into a tight knot against her chest. The others walked with mild faces, confused, asking questions among themselves. They couldn’t smell them, couldn’t hear the sounds of silent death. How they’d waited. Watched. Unconcerned that their lives were slowly ebbing away. 

_It was the PAX._

River shuddered and sank to her knees, drawing Simon away from the others. “River, it’s okay.” She felt his hands on her shoulders. He was real, right? She tried to look at him, but could only see their faces, calm, untroubled. Why didn’t they scream?

River covered her head with her arms and let her long hair drag against her boots. “Make them stop, Simon. Why can’t they move? Why are they so quiet? Scream, damn it, scream!” 

When they didn’t respond, River let out a wail from low down in her soul. It burned her from the inside, her throat, her stomach, her mouth. Simon squeezed and pleaded for her to stop. She screamed until her voice went shrill then silent. Empty gasping sobs that shook her until the voices let her stop. Quiet once more. 

They’d spoken.


End file.
